Why not making proper identification mandatory for guests?

[Robert1872]

The quality of requests is declining rapidly. The requests of pure crooks is on the rise.

Why the heck is it not mandatory for Airbnb-guests to identify properly and why can't just fake accounts be terminated as soon as anything irregular happens (e.g. different people showing up, than booked the place)?

Hosts will leave you, Airbnb, if you don't pay a lot more effort in supporting your hosts needs! Read your forums! You are about to loose your community/business partners!

[Sarah977]

@Jennifer1351  "Why wouldn't they make it a general requirement to increase safety? I wonder why they haven't."

Because they care far more about their profits than they do about safety. Anything that makes it easier for guests to book is what they prefer to do.

They even call hosts asking them if they'll accept a last minute guest booking for a guest who needs a place right away (We see you have some availability), without mentioning that it's because the guest got booted out the last Airbnb for bad behavior. You really think they give a hoot about host safety?

[Liam1556]

Yep! airbnb only cares about growing their number of guests, that is all they care about.

[Ann487]

Hosts beware a guest’s profile can say “verified” but they may have only used their Facebook acct! I just found this out accidentally when I asked a “verified” guest if she used a government ID & selfie. She said “Oh no I wouldn’t feel comfortable with that!”, “I used my Facebook acct.” I was floored and contacted Support, they looked at her profile acknowledging her use of FB but could not tell me why that substituted for verification! So we don’t actually know for sure whether they verified the old way or with FB unless we ask. Arugh

I know about turning on instant book and verification but pple would book from states that Maine will not allow entry without Covid restrictions and it was too difficult to get them to agree to Covid Requirements or to get them to cancel.

Please please please Airbnb help hosts by allowing us (if we want to) to require you to require guests to prove ID with govn’t ID & selfie! Please!

[Huma0]

@Ann487 

I believe that when a profile says it has been verified, that only means that Airbnb have used social media to check the guest is who they say they are.

The profile needs to specify that they have Govt ID for that to be verified.  Even then, it doesn't always work. I had one guest who Instant Booked without verified Govt ID when that is one of my IB requirements. She told me she had submitted the ID, but it hadn't worked and now the system was not allowing her to try again.

I asked Airbnb what was going on and they said that her Govt ID did not match her profile photo and therefore had been denied. They couldn't explain to me how then she was able to IB my listing. I find that pretty worrying. Shouldn't Airbnb take further steps if they think a guest is submitting fake ID, let alone allow them to bypass the system?

[Ann72]

@Huma0   "Her ID did not match her profile photo."

Do people with Daffy Duck as their profile photo have matching ID?

[Ann487]

Should we automatically assume a large percentage of guests are just being dishonest with us? After the week I had I’m being to think so! 
I wish Airbnb would stick to their guns and not allow pple to misuse the verification feature we are so dependent on.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  I know a woman who officially changed her name to Cruella deVil, like the character from Hundred and One Dalmatians. It started as a joke- her friends started calling her Cruella and she started answering the phone as such, then her friends dared her to officially change her name, and she did. Her passport, driver's license, all is in that name now. I wonder what a host would think if they had her book.

So you never know, Daffy Duck might have Govt. ID in that name 😜

[Huma0]

@Ann72 

LOL, good point.

It might have been her FB profile photo that didn't match her ID. I don't know. To be fair, it did look like a different person (one very glam, one very dowdy). However, she sent me scans of her ID and the girl who showed up looked like that.

I only realised later that she (who will forever be referred to as Condom Girl) seemed to be leading some sort of double life. She was a nightmare and I had to throw her out - the only time I have ever done so with a guest - so I suppose I should have paid more attention to the fact that her ID wasn't verified, but it seemed like Airbnb's mistake. The rep even told me that the ID probably wasn't verified as her hair was up in one photo and down in another. He couldn't, however, tell me how she could IB without that verification.

[Rossana121]

Hi @Emilia42 , I am just now realizing the one you linked is a different place than the one where you edit your listing. Could it be Airbnb Plus? (it actually has a 'p' in the custom link instead of the usual 'h').

I ended up creating a page for my listing... 🤔

[Fred13]

@Sarah977 I would love that 'Cruella' as my guest. 

@Ann72 "Do people with Daffy Duck as their profile photo have matching ID?" LoL

[Cathie19]

@Robert1872 .

I have instant booking turned on and have never had a problem with a verified guest. (touch wood)

BUT to give extra leeway, if needed, I have this compliance statement in my house rules:

”Compliance requirements:

We only accept guests who have completed all Airbnb Compliance requirements:

Who will accept to follow all house rules - no exceptions

A profile summary

A facial profile image of the booking guest - you can see us, so it’s only natural, we would like to see you.  🙂

Government ID verification, email and phone number as minimum.

Instant booking requires a previous good Airbnb review, along with the questions to be answered.”

I have found that the only only ones who have not followed this are guests outside the instant book guideline who are requesting to book. I take them on an individual basis, mainly by their commutation and the gut vibe. If they are unwilling to change a daisy for their facial image ( minus large sunglasses and sun hat) then I can post this info in the Messageboard. If they don’t like it, I’ll not accept the request, block the dates in the interim and wish them well. i’ll suggest they may be better suited to another Airbnb that is more compatible to their personal needs. 🙂